The Kumasi Polytechnic has put itself up in a lead role of empowering business leaders and young entrepreneurs to address the rising unemployment rate across Africa. The institution seeks to achieve this by sharing knowledge and experience in entrepreneurship education with other institutions in Africa. The school’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development (CEED) is hosting the first international conference of entrepreneurship educators, researchers and entrepreneurs in Africa. The Centre, has since 2008, been awarding Higher National Diploma programmes in entrepreneurship and finance. This aims at empowering young students to venture into entrepreneurial activities and to prepare them for challenges on the job market. Students are taken through practical training in new venture creation. Acting Director of CEED, Elizabeth Dwomoh-Fokuo says inadequate institutional support for young entrepreneurs remains a major challenge to the development and growth of new enterprises in Ghana. She explained that most students have had it difficult starting their own businesses because of cumbersome processes to certify products and operations. She observed most budding entrepreneurs have been discouraged from venturing into production while others have incurred huge losses because authorities drag their feet in issuing permits for start ups. Mrs Dwomoh-Fokuo told Luv News this is militating against government’s agenda to get the youth into self-employment. Head of Research Department, Edmund Oppong Peprah said the first international conference of entrepreneurship educators is to enable K-Poly share experiences with other tertiary institutions across the continent. Renowned entrepreneurs are also speaking at the three day conference.